1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system comprising a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected so as to output data or to form image copies from selected ones.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
Recently, with the progress of digitalization and networking of copying machines, printers, and complex machines caused by the advance of highly-networked information technology, a technology of an image forming system capable of obtaining a large number of image copies in a short time has been in practical use. In the image forming system, an original image read from a certain single image reader is copied at a high speed using a plurality of digital copying machines connected to each other or image data transmitted from a computer are output to a plurality of printers at a high speed.
For the image forming system in conventionally practical use, importance is attached to a great volume of and high-speed image output. Therefore, there has been proposed a method of forming an image efficiently by distributing and sharing image output processing (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. Hei 9-261395 (1997) and Hei 11-127290 (1999)). On the other hand, there has been proposed a method of correcting differences in image quality among the image forming apparatuses in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-83848. Furthermore, there has also been proposed a method of analyzing received image data and selecting printers for outputting the image in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. Hei 10-240552 (1998).
To output an image by using a plurality of image forming apparatuses including a number of copying machines, printers, and complex machines connected to each other with the same image quality or with a desired function (image combine staple, folding, etc.), it is important to correct the image quality or to select the function or devices in consideration of the conditions (a material to be used, a frequency in use, individual differences in devices, etc.) of the image forming apparatuses and functional differences between the devices.
The aforementioned conventional image forming system has been proposed on the assumption that the conditions and functions of the image forming apparatuses are equivalent. In other words, it is not considered in the conventional systems that the image forming apparatuses may be different in conditions or functions. Therefore, the conventional system has a problem that it is hard to standardize the image quality or the function in image forming apparatuses different in conditions or functions.